Aging-Related Changes in the Ultrastructure of Hepatocytes and Cardiomyocytes of Elderly Mice Are Enhanced in ApoE-Deficient Animals
Małgorzata Łysek-Gładysińska,
Anna Wieczorek,
Artur Jóźwik,
Anna Walaszczyk,
Karol Jelonek,
Grażyna Szczukiewicz-Markowska,
Olaf K. Horbańczuk,
Monika Pietrowska,
Piotr Widłak,
Dorota Gabryś
Affiliations
Małgorzata Łysek-Gładysińska
Division of Medical Biology, Institute of Biology, University of Jan Kochanowski, Uniwersytecka 7, 25-406 Kielce, Poland
Anna Wieczorek
Division of Medical Biology, Institute of Biology, University of Jan Kochanowski, Uniwersytecka 7, 25-406 Kielce, Poland
Artur Jóźwik
Institute of Genetics and Animal Biotechnology PAS, Jastrzębiec, Postępu 36A, 05-552 Magdalenka, Poland
Anna Walaszczyk
Biosciences Institute, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 7RU, UK
Karol Jelonek
Center for Translational Research and Molecular Biology of Cancer, Maria Sklodowska-Curie National Research Institute of Oncology Gliwice Branch, Wybrzeże Armii Krajowej 15, 44-101 Gliwice, Poland
Grażyna Szczukiewicz-Markowska
Department of Surgical Medicine with the Laboratory of Medical Genetics, Collegium Medicum, University of Jan Kochanowski, al. IX Wieków Kielc 19A, 25-317 Kielce, Poland
Olaf K. Horbańczuk
Faculty of Human Nutrition, Warsaw University of Life Sciences, Nowoursynowska 159 C, 02-776 Warsaw, Poland
Monika Pietrowska
Center for Translational Research and Molecular Biology of Cancer, Maria Sklodowska-Curie National Research Institute of Oncology Gliwice Branch, Wybrzeże Armii Krajowej 15, 44-101 Gliwice, Poland
Piotr Widłak
Center for Translational Research and Molecular Biology of Cancer, Maria Sklodowska-Curie National Research Institute of Oncology Gliwice Branch, Wybrzeże Armii Krajowej 15, 44-101 Gliwice, Poland
Dorota Gabryś
Department of Radiotherapy, Maria Sklodowska-Curie National Research Institute of Oncology, Gliwice Branch, Wybrzeże Armii Krajowej 15, 44-101 Gliwice, Poland
Biological aging is associated with various morphological and functional changes, yet the mechanisms of these phenomena remain unclear in many tissues and organs. Hyperlipidemia is among the factors putatively involved in the aging of the liver and heart. Here, we analyzed morphological, ultrastructural, and biochemical features in adult (7-month-old) and elderly (17-month-old) mice, and then compared age-related features between wild type (C57Bl/6 strain) and ApoE-deficient (transgenic ApoE−/−) animals. Increased numbers of damaged mitochondria, lysosomes, and lipid depositions were observed in the hepatocytes of elderly animals. Importantly, these aging-related changes were significantly stronger in hepatocytes from ApoE-deficient animals. An increased number of damaged mitochondria was observed in the cardiomyocytes of elderly animals. However, the difference between wild type and ApoE-deficient mice was expressed in the larger size of mitochondria detected in the transgenic animals. Moreover, a few aging-related differences were noted between wild type and ApoE-deficient mice at the level of plasma biochemical markers. Levels of cholesterol and HDL increased in the plasma of elderly ApoE−/− mice and were markedly higher than in the plasma of elderly wild type animals. On the other hand, the activity of alanine transaminase (ALT) decreased in the plasma of elderly ApoE−/− mice and was markedly lower than in the plasma of elderly wild type animals.
